Garmin-Sharp terminate contract with Rasmussen

Dane Alex Rasmussen had his contract with the Garmin-Sharp team terminated on Wednesday after being handed an 18-month suspension from competition for violating anti-doping whereabouts rules.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport over-turned a decision by the Danish Cycling Federation to clear Rasmussen on the grounds of a technicality after he missed two anti-doping tests and failing to notify authorites of his whereabouts during an 18-month period.

Rasmussen was sacked by his former team HTC-Highroad during the Tour of Britain in 2011 for missing the tests. He was subsequently hired by the Garmin team after being cleared, but under the squad’s anti-doping rules he has now been fired.

A team statement read: “We have followed the lead of the authorities through this process. Although the missed whereabouts test occurred on Alex’s previous team, in light of the CAS verdict, Alex will no longer be with Slipstream Sports [Garmin team owner].”

Slipstream CEO Jonathan Vaughters later said via Twitter: “Whereabouts need to be enforced; the process re Rasmussen was disorganized and unprofessional. Very disappointing. Cycling deserves better.”